Gates and Doors
by CatBlack84
Summary: Alex is out and she and Piper embark on their 'normal' life. Rated M for language and sexual situations. Nothing belongs to me, I'm just borrowing them.
1. Chapter 1

Piper was a nervous wreck. She kept bouncing from one thing to another in the apartment, unable to focus on anything for more than two seconds. She was exhausted, and that didn't help either. She had tossed and turned in bed for three hours before she realized sleep was never going to happen. She'd finally given up and spent the rest of the night cleaning up. She wanted everything to be perfect for the next day. This was the day she'd been waiting a year and a half for. Alex was coming home.

She tried not to think about what had happened with her parents a year ago when things had finally come to a head with her parents. She hadn't thought anything could be more awkward than the conversation about why she was going to prison, but she was wrong.

It had been a brunch at her parent's house. Cal, by virtue of not answering his phone, had managed to get out of it, but Piper wasn't so lucky. She'd been sitting at the table trying to help her father with the crossword he was working on and her mother was bustling around the kitchen, prattling on about something Piper had zero interest in.

"So, have you heard from anyone interesting lately?" her father finally asked.

Piper nodded, hoping that would be the end of it.

"Who have you heard from, dear?" her mother replied, turning to lean against the counter, wiping her hands on her apron.

For a handful of seconds, Piper considered lying to her mother but then realized she was sick of coming up with bullshit excuses as to who she'd been talking to on the phone or what she was doing every weekend.

"Alex, mom. I've been talking to Alex" her words came out a little harsher than she'd planned and her mother's face just went blank for a second.

"Oh" she finally said, turning back to the stove.

"Oh? Oh, what Mom? What exactly do you mean by that?" Piper said, finally giving vent to the anger she'd been trying to ignore for the past six months.

Her mother sighed and turned back to face her.

"I just don't understand why you have any interest in continuing to speak with her is all. She's the one who put you in that place, she's the one who ruined your relationship with Larry. Why do you keep her in your life? I thought the whole…_lesbian_ thing was a phase anyway.

You got out of all of that. You did your penance or whatever, and you should be moving on, Piper. You should be focusing on your business with Polly and work on getting your life straightened out, not being stuck to the past"

Piper was dumbstruck by the whole thing. It made sense, but deep down, Piper knew that's not what her mother actually had an issue with. The truth suddenly hit her like a brick.

"Christ, Mom. Really? Why don't you just be honest with me? Say what you actually mean for once" Piper replied, getting to her feet slowly.

"Piper, honey…" her Dad said, touching her arm.

"No, Dad. Not this time. I want her to say what's actually bothering her about all of this. I want to know why it matters so damn much to her why who I talk to" she was genuinely angry now.

"Piper, dear, you know you're better than this, better than her. It's not a permanent thing anyway, it never was. She's going to get out and she's going to go right back to doing…whatever it is she does that somehow captivates you and she will drag you down with her again.

I hate that you keep her around. I hate that she has some kind of hold over you. You're better than her and you shouldn't let her ruin your life anymore"

Piper just shook her head at what she was hearing. She picked up her purse and dug her keys out.

"I can't believe this, Mom. Alex didn't ruin my life, I did. Again, no one held a gun to my head and made me carry that bag of money. No one made me do anything! _I _made those choices, _I _carried that bag, and _I _paid for it.

And you have no idea what kind of person she is. Who are you to stand there and judge anyone? You know nothing, _nothing_ about her. You think it was a phase? It wasn't, Mom. I loved her, I _still_ love her. She's caring and generous and so, so intelligent. She's comfortable with who she is and I admire that, I love that about her. She's not perfect, but fuck, Mom, no one is. Larry had just as many issues, but you don't care about that.

I can't do this with you Mom. I can't. I love her, okay? It's taken me _years_ to realize that, it took me loosing her and making a hell of a lot of mistakes. I lost six years with her, I abandoned her when she needed me and I feel like I'll never be able to make that up to her, but I'm going to try.

It's not the cookie cutter life you envisioned for me, I know that. Can't you be happy with the fact that I'm happy? Can't you just be happy that I found someone I love, completely and totally? She is my life and she will be my life.

Tell me, right now, if you think you can deal with that or not. If you can't, that's your choice, but I won't let you dictate my happiness anymore. I tried to be what you thought I should be, what everyone else thought I should be and it didn't work. This is who I am, Mom. Tell me."

Piper had ended up yelling by the end, but it was such a release to lay all of that out, get it in the open.

Her mother still had a stunned look on her face. Suddenly, different emotions flashed across her face, too quickly for Piper to tell what they were. The blank look reappeared.

"If that's how you feel, Piper, then that's how you feel. I can't change that, apparently. I can't accept that you feel this need to continue to…allow yourself to be drug down again and again. Maybe you should go" her mother finally said, her words stilted and her voice tight.

Piper just nodded and walked out the door.

Since then, she'd heard from Cal, but nothing from her parents. She'd hoped with time her mother would come around, but so far, no dice.

She shook her head and realized she was almost there. A few minutes later and she pulled into the visitor's lot. She was suddenly struck with a major case of nerves. Her hands started shaking again and she gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white. She was so not ready for this all of a sudden.

In just a couple of hours, she would be going home with Alex. She would have someone living with her for the first time since Larry (if you didn't count prison, that was). She would have Alex with her full time, and she could touch her and kiss her and not have to watch out of the corner of her eyes for a CO. They could order take out and watch old movies and talk about books.

The thought of all of those sudden changes made her heart race and she felt panic starting to try to overwhelm her.

Then her mind flashed back to all the wonderful times she and Alex had shared, and she forced herself to focus on that. She managed to get her hands to quit shaking and she took a few deep breaths. She grabbed her bag and headed toward the front gate.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Sorry the update is short. I promise a much longer one next. Thank you for all of the follows and reviews.

Alex knew she was supposed to be enjoying herself, it was her party after all. Her heart felt like it was going to rupture from beating too hard. She pushed the loose peices of coconut on her plate around, trying to find something else to focus on. She heard someone walk up behind her and she turned. Nichols had her usual smirk on her face. She grabbed Alex in a half hearted, affectionate head lock.

"Lighten up, Vause. It's a party for fuck's sake"

Alex smirked and pushed the wild haired woman off of her.

"I know, I'm just kind of freaked out is all" Alex finally said.

Nikki's usually jovial face suddnely got serious.

"Don't pull this shit, Vause. You know she'll be here. The two of you have been through major shit, but she loves you. Hell, everyone here knows she loves you. She'll be here" Nikki said.

She wouldn't have told anyone, but the conversation she and Vause had the night before had scared her. Dinner was over and Nikki stopped by Alex's cube to check on her. The brunette had been unusually quiet all day. Nichols knew she was nervous about getting out, about moving in with Piper, about what her life would be.

She found her sitting on her bunk, thumbing through a box of letters. She had a blankly absent look on her face that Nikki knew all too well. It was an overload face.

Alex's bunkmate was leading the never ending Bible study tonight.

"Hey, John the Baptist, go shepherd somewhere else, okay?" Nikki said all but shoving the group out. She was oblivious to the protests and grumbles. She ploped herself down next to Alex and bumped her with her shoulder. Alex didn't seem to notice.

Nikki waved her hand in front of Alex's face.

"Hey, Vause, wake up"

Alex finally looked up and the dazed look on her face softened a bit.

"Hey, sorry. I'm just going through some of my stuff before tomorrow" she said absently.

Nikki looked around the cube. Everything except her bedding, shower stuff and the box of letters was already packed up in a cardboard box. Nichols reached over and took the box fom Alex's lap.

"Nichols, what the fuck?" Alex said, finally showing some emotion.

"Good, now I got your attention. Look at me.

You're not going through your shit, you're freaking out about College showing up tomorrow and what you're going to do"

Alex wanted to deny what Nikki was saying, but she knew it was time to quit running from the truth. She took a fw moments to collect her thoughts.

"I was re-reading some of Piper's letters. I got stuck on the one about her mother" Nikki nodded remembering.

"What if she's right? What if I'm not enough for Piper? I have no idea what I'm going to do. All I know how to do is find drug mules and smuggle a shit ton of heroin.

What if Piper decides she doesn't want to deal with all of this? I don't know how to be 'domestic'. I don't know how to have a normal life.

I took so much time from her and lost so much time with her. Maybe I should just let her go." Alex didn't seem to notice the tears that ran down her cheeks.

Nikki felt a flash of anger, but quickly realized that yelling at Vause and shaking her wouldn't help. Maybe she was actually growing up. She draped her arm over the taller woman's shoulders and pulled her close. Crying always made her anxious and she felt this insane need to make it stop.

"Hey, Vause, newsflash. No one knows how to live a 'normal' life and anyone who says they do is full of shit. All you can do is take things one day at a time.

And don't let her mom get to you. Piper's mom doesn't fucking matter. All that matters is that you love her and she loves you. You don't have to think that you're good enough for her. She loves you, and at the end of the day, what the fuck else matters?"

Alex nodded against Nikki's shoulder and tried to make herself believe that.

Bennet's voice snapped Alex out of herself.

"Come on, Vause. You need to do some paperwork before tomorrow".


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Notes: Thanks for the follows and reviews. It feels like this will end up being a lot longer than I had originally intended. Enjoy and thanks again!

* * *

Their reunion in the grimy prison parking lot was better than either of them could have imagined. To Piper, Alex still looked exotic even in Converse tennis shoes, a black tank top and jeans. She saw her approaching the gate and began bouncing up and down like a little kid and Alex's smile was visible even from that distance.

As soon as the gate closed behind Alex, she dropped the cardboard box that held the few things she wanted to take with her and ran to the blonde. Piper wrapped her arms around Alex's waist and Alex cupped her cheeks. She drank in the sight of the woman she loved standing in front of her and kissed her deeply. It felt so good to be able to kiss and touch without the guards yelling at them. Eventually, they both had to come up for air. Piper kept one arm around the taller woman's waist and ran the other through the ends of Alex's hair. She couldn't believe the blue tips were back.

"You said you had a surprise for me, but I didn't think this is what you meant. How did you…?" Piper said, almost in tears again.

Alex kissed her gently and said, "Red got it for me and Sophia did it. I've been stockpiling commissary for it.

Can we go home now, Pipes? Please"

Piper wasn't deaf to the way Alex's voice sounded. She was nervous and scared, but Piper knew Alex would never admit it.

"Yeah, of course" she moved towards the car and stopped. She went back to Alex and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

"I'm so happy to have you right now" she whispered against Alex's chest, and then she turned and went quickly to the car. Alex just smiled to herself, grabbed the box of things she'd dropped and climbed into the passenger seat.

The whole thing seemed surreal to Alex. She was leaving a place she'd lived for three years that had never been home and going somewhere she'd never been that already was. She'd decided long ago that anywhere with Piper was home for her. Alex kept touching Piper the whole way home. She'd rest her hand on her thigh or kiss her cheek. It felt so liberating to be in normal clothes, to be able to touch the person she loved freely.

To be honest, Alex loved the way her touch made Piper react. The blonde tried for stoicism, but Alex could see the pulse in her neck speed slightly and the faint blush that started on her ears. She loved the fact that even innocent touches could do that.

"So, what do you want for lunch?" Piper asked at a stop light, fighting to keep her voice under control.

A wicked look crossed Alex's face and she leaned in to whisper in Piper's ear,

"You"

The slight gasp made her laugh.

"Seriously though, I could not care less as long as it's not served to me by Gina on a plastic tray"

They ended up at a hole in the wall Italian place. Alex was in heaven. They both ate more than they should have and Alex had a bit too much wine.

It was mid-afternoon when they got home. Piper's new place was in an eccentric, middle class neighborhood that Alex instantly loved. She noted that you could get take out from three different continents without crossing the street. As they climbed the two flights of stairs, Piper was chatting on and on about the neighbors and the building. Alex just nodded and agreed in the right places without hearing anything Piper was saying. She was distracted by the sight of Piper's ass in her favorite jeans.

"Well, here we are" she finally said, stopping in front of one of the doors. She looked back at Alex, still stunned that she was actually here. She smiled at the look on her face.

"You didn't hear a damn thing I said, did you?" trying, and failing, to sound indignant.

"Yes, I did" Alex said, smirking.

Piper slipped an arm around her waist and said, "Liar. I know that look. You were too busy staring at my ass."

Alex rolled her eyes and said, "Oh darn, I guess you caught me."

Piper just laughed and turned to open the door. Alex walked through, set her box down and pulled off her shoes. Piper had kicked her off and dropped her keys on an end table. She took a few steps into the living room.

"So, the kitchen's just through here…"

Alex took a step and grabbed Piper's hand. She turned, smiling.

"What?"

"I really, _really_, don't give a rat's ass about where the kitchen is right now" she said, leaning back against the door and pulling Piper tightly against her body. Her voice was low and rough and she could feel the blonde's response. Alex slid her hands into Piper's hair and pulled her face close, kissing her slowly and deeply. Piper groaned into Alex's mouth and slid her hands around her waist and up her back, under the tank top. This was what she'd been missing, the feel of Alex's body under her hands, her scent, her voice.

She moved her hands around to the front of Alex's jeans and grabbed the waist band. Without breaking their kiss, she pulled her through the living room, down the hall and into the bedroom. Alex followed, more than willingly. Piper kept walking backwards until her knees hit the bed and she fell back, pulling the brunette with her. They fell in a tangle of limbs, still kissing and touching, reacquainting themselves with each other. Alex pushed Piper up against the headboard and pulled her shirt off over her head and all but ripping her jeans off. Her clothes followed soon after. She crawled up Piper's body and straddled her thighs. Piper's hands ran down her back and held her hips.

"You look so beautiful right now" Piper whispered. Alex smiled and kissed her. She ran her hands down Piper's ribs and over her hips before moving them back up to palm her breasts. Piper writhed under her and moaned into her mouth. Alex began kissing her way from Piper's collar bones down between her breasts, and lower onto her stomach. Piper sighed and Alex loved the way the skin under her lips twitched as she moved lower down her body.

She scooted down farther and slipped her left arm under Piper's thigh. She kissed the inside of Piper's legs and moved her fingers gently over the soft folds before her.

"Oh, Alex, please…" Piper gasped. As much as Alex wanted to prolong this moment, she knew it was torture for Piper. She wrapped her lips around Piper's clit at the same time she slipped two fingers into her. Piper's hips jumped and pressed against her. She set a slow, firm rhythm with her fingers that she matched with her lips and tongue.

"Fuck, Alex, please…please" she cried. Alex smiled against her and pressed her tongue firmly against Piper and curled her fingers. She felt Piper's body spasm around her fingers and heard her cry out. Alex slowed her rhythm gradually and Piper's body went limp. She slid her hand into Alex's hair and pulled her up against her. Alex draped her leg over Piper's thigh and pulled her into her arms.

"My little spoon" she whispered, kissing Piper's neck. Piper smiled, and snuggled tighter against her. Alex let her fingers run lightly over Piper's stomach as she felt the small blonde's breathing slow and her body relax.

Piper jerked against her, fighting to stay awake. She had waited so long for this and she didn't want to miss any moment. It was a loosing fight. She'd spent the last three days amped up on anticipation and anxiety and she was running on only two hours of sleep a night. Alex knew Piper was fighting sleep and she pulled the quilt up over them. She kissed Piper's neck and whispered, "Sleep, Pipes. I'm here"

Piper's eyelids fluttered open briefly. "Don't go, Alex. Please, don't go" she mumbled; only half awake.

Alex pulled her more firmly against her and whispered, "I'm not going anywhere, Piper. Never again." Piper smiled drowsily and let herself slip into sleep.

Alex lay next to her, studying her as she slept. She'd tried to sleep, but it was too quiet, too dark. There was nothing else in the world that she wanted right now. She was home, she had the woman she loved in her arms.

She was concerned about the dark circles under Piper's eyes, but she still thought she was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. She knew Piper had been stressed out and was pushing herself too hard.

'_She probably spent the last three days running around trying to get everything just right_' she thought. Her mind flashed back to that horrible Christmas when she told Piper she could never come to her again. How could she have said that? She made a promise to herself, and to Piper, that she would never leave, never run. She knew things wouldn't always be easy, but she knew it was what she had to do. It was inevitable.

* * *

Piper's eyes snapped open. Sunlight bathed the bedroom and she felt the same pang of loneliness she'd felt everyday since she got out of Litchfeild. She missed Alex.

Alex! She rolled over and panicked, fearing that it had all been a dream. Then she saw the long black hair on the pillow next to her and realized it hadn't been. She scrambled, trying to free herself from the quilt she was wrapped up in. In her haste, she fell onto the floor.

"Fuck" she mumbled. She landed on the knee she always seemed to land on when she fell. She was almost in tears when she heard footsteps moving up the hallway.

"Piper?" Alex's voice, from the doorway. The footsteps continued into the room and Alex found Piper in a heap of limbs and quilt. She almost laughed until she saw Piper's face. The long legged brunette sat on the floor and pulled the whole bundle into her lap. Piper's arms wrapped around her frantically. Alex held her and rubbed her back.

"What the hell happened? I was making coffee and heard this crash." She said once Piper seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"I woke up and you weren't here. I got scared and fell trying to get out of bed." Piper mumbled.

"Well, I'm here Kid, always." Alex said, kissing the top of Piper's head. They sat on the floor in each other's arms for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's company.

Alex kissed the top of Piper's head one more time and said, "Come on, the coffee's ready. You have no idea how much I want a cup of real, honest to God coffee."

They untangled themselves and made their way to the kitchen, both nervous and excited to begin a 'normal' life together.


End file.
